Melissa, up front I just want to say I love you to teeny tiny pieces and I hope my memories of you don't completely horrify you.
Shortly after I returned from my mission my stake formed a new single's ward. I decided to give it a whirl. For six months I endured the ward. I hated it. I was the "Primary President" of a singles ward. Two little kids of nursery age. So I spent two hours of my Sunday babysitting. I never knew about activities, I was never told about anything, I didn't have visiting or home teachers that came. I basically had no reason to be in the ward. One Sunday I told my mom, "This is my last Sunday in the ward. I'm going to tell the Bishop he can release me because I'm not going to the ward any more. I'll go somewhere else."
That very day, before I had a chance to talk to the bishop, one of the councilors called me in to release me from my calling and give me a new calling. I was to be in the Relief Society Presidency as a councilor. I'd never done that before. So I decided to give the ward one more chance. It's probably a good thing I did because during the next few months I made some of the best friends I've ever had (albeit much younger than me- which in the eternal scheme of things shouldn't matter, I suppose).
Also serving in that presidency was
Melissa. I was nervous about serving with her because my only knowledge of her was from a talk she'd given a few months prior. Melissa was young. She was fresh out of high school and out of her family ward for the first time. I honestly can't remember what her talk was about, but she giggled through the whole thing. She couldn't gain her composure at all. I was so annoyed.
It wasn't until a long time later that I learned she was nervous to the point of a nervous break down and she couldn't help the giggling. She was mortified that she couldn't control herself. I felt so awful for prejudging her and assuming that she was just a silly teeny-bopper.
That presidency that we served together on changed my life in many ways. It helped me make some amazing friends, and later it took me to Colorado (Hanna, my roommate was also in the presidency and was part of the reason I moved to Co).
Melissa and I surprisingly have a lot in common. Though our heights are feet apart, we are similar in a lot of ways. We are both ridiculous Disney nerds. Every year our ward held a talent show. And every year, Melissa and I entered together. Our talent was called Stump the Chump. Between the two of us there is not a Disney movie that we can't sing at least one song from. People would call out random movies that they figured we'd never even heard of. Sorry kids, we've heard of them. We would had to get three strikes to end the game and people could only get us out on stupid technicalities- they would name movies that had no music in them other than musical score. Lame.
Melissa introduced me to a lot of new games. I'd never even heard of True Colors before we played it at her house one night. If you've never played it, I highly recommend it. Funny funny funny! We also played a lot of Scum. She taught me how to play Kemp, Shanghi, Sequence, and some others that escape my mind. I in turn taught her Poohead and 5 crowns. Even trade, I'd say.
One of my favorite memories of Melissa was the time she came with me on my photo shoot. I was in a photography class and had to take pictures of things that I thought represented Pocatello. We drove all over town taking pictures of things that are uniquely Poky. Wait. Let me preface. Melissa if you haven't gathered by now, is a tad scatterbrained (I mean that in the nicest way Melissa. I promise!) and when I am around her- I tend to pick up that quality too. I mean, I have my moments, but it really comes out when I'm with her. -So, we're driving through Old Town looking for things to take pictures of- when suddenly I realize I'm driving the wrong way on a One Way road. I hurried and pulled off to the side of the road- when we were done laughing our heads off I turned around and tried to be much more vigilant after that.
That same photo trip, Meliss and I ended up at ISU. There's a lot of quintessential Pocatello things there, right? We were at Bart's Field and got out of the car. I took a few pictures then we decided we should roll down the grassy hill. We made it a race. On your mark! Get set! GO! We rolled and rolled... and then I felt a speed bump. Apparently when I roll downhill I don't know how to keep going straight. I veered off course and steamrolled Melissa. Seriously, if you've ever seen the two of us together, you will wonder how she survived.
Melissa, for the longest time was absolutely shocked when anyone would swear around her. It was funnier than anything the first time I heard Melissa slip out a choice four letter word. We laughed and laughed. A couple of years ago, Melissa came to visit me in Colorado. I lived just down the street from the Dam Road. It was funnier than anything to hear Melissa talk about the Dam Road. hahaha Also on that Colorado trip, We went to the Olive Garden. Melissa and Kimberly had salad (Hanna did too, but only a couple of bites- I don't eat thier salad) The next day Meliss and Kimberly were supposed to go home, but they were hit with a hard case of food poisoning! It must have been the salad! Like any good friend (smirk) I bought them some medicine then left them and went to church. Haha! Those poor girls. They lived- but it will definitely be a hard trip to forget.
And now, Melissa teaches high school. And, I'll admit, I'm jealous of her. Yes, yes, take note people. I, Bakeshow, am jealous of Melissa Wilding. She has a career in her chosen major. She bought a house and is having (what looks to me to be) a lot of fun decorating and making it hers. She has been RS president (just to be clear, I am NOT jealous of that. That is a calling I never ever EVER want) and has shown how great her service is. She's a good friend to everyone and includes everyone in her planning.
Melissa. I love you so much and I'm so glad I can count myself among your friends.
